Understanding the Animal Lifecycle
Every animal in Kora moves through a complete lifecycle. From the moment they enter your care until they eventually exit. Understanding this lifecycle helps you see how daily activities accumulate into comprehensive lifetime records. Observations, treatments, movements support excellent care and regulatory compliance.
The animal lifecycle is not a rigid sequence. It is a framework for thinking about how animal records evolve over time.
Lifecycle Phases
Acquisition - How the animal enters your care (birth, purchase, rescue, transfer, capture)
Active Management - Day-to-day care, health monitoring, treatments, movements, breeding
Medical Care - Health observations, veterinary treatments, disease management, preventive care
Reproduction - Breeding, pregnancy tracking, births, offspring management
Exit - How the animal leaves your care (sale, death, transfer, release)
Animals do not move through these phases linearly. A breeding female experiences acquisition once, then cycles through active management, medical care, and reproduction multiple times before eventual exit. A rescued wildlife animal might experience acquisition, medical care, active management, release. All within weeks.
The system adapts to each animal's journey.
Acquisition: How Animals Enter Your Care
When an animal first enters Kora, you document how they arrived. This acquisition information becomes the foundation of their permanent record.
Acquisition Methods
Kora supports diverse acquisition scenarios across all contexts:
Birth-Related:
- Born on Facility - Animal born at your location (common for farms, zoos)
- Bred on Site - Explicitly bred through managed breeding programme
Commercial Transactions:
- Purchased - Bought from breeder, farm, or commercial source
- Sold to You - Transferred through commercial sale
Transfers and Loans:
- Transferred - Moved from another facility (zoos, conservation programmes)
- Breeding Loan - Temporarily acquired for breeding purposes
- Loaned - Temporarily in your care, ownership retained by original facility
Welfare and Rescue:
- Rescued - Removed from neglect, abuse, or dangerous situations
- Donated - Given to your facility or programme
- Confiscated - Seized by authorities, placed in your care
Conservation and Research:
- Wild Captured - Captured from wild population (conservation, research)
- Conservation Programme - Acquired through conservation breeding or reintroduction programme
- Repatriated - Returned to country/region of origin
- Natural Movement - Wildlife arriving naturally (migration, dispersal)
Other:
- Inherited - Acquired through inheritance
- Temporary Custody - Short-term care arrangement
- Research Acquisition - Obtained for research purposes
- Other - Situations not covered by standard categories
Recording Acquisition Details
When creating an animal record, you document:
Core Acquisition Information:
- Acquisition Method - How animal entered your care
- Acquisition Date - When animal arrived
- Source - Where animal came from (breeder name, facility, wild population)
- Cost - Purchase price if applicable
- Ownership Status - Owned, on loan, temporary custody, permitted/licensed
Additional Context (optional but recommended):
- Source Contact - Person or organisation you acquired from
- Source Facility - Name and location of origin facility
- Permit Numbers - Required for regulated species (CITES, wildlife permits)
- Acquisition Notes - Transportation details, health condition on arrival, special circumstances
Examples:
Dairy Farm - Birth:
- Method: Born on Facility
- Date: Today
- Source: "Born to cow #A123 and bull #B045"
- Notes: "Natural birth, calf healthy and nursing normally"
Zoo - Conservation Transfer:
- Method: Conservation Programme
- Date: Last month
- Source: "International Rhino Foundation breeding programme"
- Source Facility: "Safari Park Kenya"
- Permit: "CITES permit #2024-KE-0789"
- Ownership: Conservation custody
- Notes: "Part of genetic diversity initiative, breeding loan agreement on file"
Wildlife Reserve - Wild Capture:
- Method: Wild Captured
- Date: Three weeks ago
- Source: "Northern Territory wild population"
- Permit: "Wildlife capture permit #WC-2024-089"
- Notes: "Captured for GPS collaring and health assessment, release planned after monitoring"
Veterinary Clinic - Rescue:
- Method: Rescued
- Date: Today
- Source: "Local animal control, neglect case"
- Ownership: Temporary custody
- Notes: "Underweight, dehydrated, requires intensive care before rehoming"
Acquisition documentation creates the first entries in the animal's permanent traceability record.
Active Management: Daily Care Builds Lifetime Records
Once acquired, animals enter active management. This is where Chapter 7's essential daily workflows accumulate into comprehensive records. Observations, tasks, movements, treatments.
Every observation adds to health history, creating a chronological timeline of the animal's condition over time.
Every task completed demonstrates systematic care. Vaccinations on schedule, health checks performed, routine maintenance documented.
Every movement builds geographic history. It shows where the animal has been and which other animals they have shared locations with. Critical for biosecurity.
Every treatment creates medical records, tracking medications, vaccinations, withdrawal periods, and therapeutic interventions.
These daily activities are not isolated events. They are building blocks of the animal's lifetime story.
How Daily Records Support Long-Term Management
Pattern Recognition: Monthly weight measurements reveal growth curves. Quarterly observations show seasonal health patterns. Annual treatments demonstrate preventive care consistency.
Informed Decisions: Before breeding, review reproductive history. Before sale, verify withdrawal periods have cleared. Before transfer, demonstrate health certificate compliance through complete medical records.
Continuity of Care: When team members change, veterinarians consult, or auditors inspect, complete records ensure everyone has the information they need.
Accountability: Timestamped records show who did what and when, creating professional accountability and legal protection.
The animal profile page (covered in 8.1) brings all these records together. Smart badges provide quick access while detailed sections show complete histories.
Medical Care: Building Health Histories
Medical care creates some of the most important lifecycle records. Every health intervention contributes to the animal's permanent medical history.
Health Observations
Recorded observations (Chapter 7.1) accumulate into health history:
- Symptoms observed over time
- Severity trends (is condition worsening or improving?)
- Response to treatments
- Seasonal health patterns
- Chronic condition monitoring
Example: A zoo elephant with chronic foot problems has 37 observations spanning five years. This history helps veterinarians identify triggers. Rainy season correlates with flare-ups. New treatment protocol reduced severe episodes by 60%. This evaluation supports long-term management planning.
Treatment Records
Every treatment (Chapter 7.4) becomes part of medical history:
- Complete medication record from birth
- Vaccination history with batch numbers
- Treatment response documentation
- Adverse reactions recorded
- Withdrawal period compliance
Example: A dairy cow's treatment history shows all antimicrobial use over her lifetime. When mastitis recurs, the veterinarian reviews past treatments. One antibiotic consistently works while another showed resistance. The veterinarian prescribes accordingly. This evidence-based decision improves outcomes and reduces antimicrobial resistance.
Veterinary Follow-Up Workflow
Veterinarians can flag animals requiring additional review using the Follow-Up smart badge (8.1):
- Veterinarian examines animal, records observation and treatment
- Flags animal for follow-up (e.g., "Recheck in 10 days")
- Follow-up badge appears on animal profile
- Other team members see flag, know special attention required
- At follow-up, veterinarian reviews complete medical history since last visit
- Updates treatment plan based on response
- Either clears follow-up flag or extends monitoring
This systematic approach ensures no animal falls through the cracks. Every case requiring review is tracked to completion.
Reproduction: Breeding and Offspring
Reproductive management creates specialised lifecycle records. While detailed reproductive features are covered in 8.1's Breeding Smart Badge section, here is how reproduction fits the lifecycle:
Breeding Records
For Breeding Animals:
- Heat cycles tracked (females)
- Breeding events documented with dates and partners
- Pregnancy confirmations recorded
- Expected due dates calculated
- Prenatal health checks documented
Why This Matters: Breeding history shows reproductive performance over time. Conception rates, pregnancy success, offspring quality. This data supports breeding decisions. Which animals produce healthy offspring? Genetic management avoids inbreeding. Programme evaluation tracks success.
Birth and Offspring
When animals give birth:
- Birth documented - Date, number of offspring, birth weight, complications
- Offspring records created - New animal records for each offspring
- Lineage established - Parent-offspring relationships documented
- Acquisition method set - Offspring automatically marked "Born on Facility"
- Traceability chains initiated - Each offspring gets own lifetime record starting at birth
Conservation breeding programmes add genetic tracking. Pedigrees, inbreeding coefficients, breeding recommendations based on population genetics. This ensures genetic diversity in endangered species programmes.
Reproduction Examples
Dairy Farm:
- Cow bred via artificial insemination, breeding date recorded
- Pregnancy confirmed 60 days later
- Expected calving date calculated automatically
- Calf born, new record created
- Calf's record shows "Born on Facility, mother #A123"
- Calf tracked individually or added to mob depending on management approach
Zoo Conservation Programme:
- Female elephant bred following Species Survival Plan recommendations
- Genetic analysis confirms no inbreeding concerns
- Pregnancy monitored with ultrasounds (documented as observations)
- Calf born after 22-month gestation
- Complete pedigree documented for international studbook
- Calf becomes individual animal in conservation database
Exit: How Animals Leave Your Care
Animals eventually exit active management. Documenting exit ensures records are complete and regulatory requirements are met.
Exit Methods
Sale:
- Record movement to third-party location (Chapter 7.3)
- Document buyer information
- Generate health certificates if required
- Verify withdrawal periods cleared (food animals)
- Mark animal "Sold"
- Complete record remains in system for traceability
Death:
- Record date of death
- Document cause (natural, euthanasia, disease, injury, predation, unknown)
- Add post-mortem notes
- Mark animal "Deceased"
- Record remains part of historical data for analysis
Transfer to Another Facility:
- Document receiving facility
- Generate transfer documentation
- Include health certificates and vaccination records
- Movement creates traceability event
- Animal either marked "Transferred" (ownership changes) or remains active (breeding loan)
Release to Wild (Wildlife/Conservation):
- Document release date and location (GPS coordinates)
- Record release conditions (health status, weight, readiness assessment)
- Create final health certificate
- Mark animal "Released"
- Post-release monitoring may continue if animal has GPS collar
Disappeared:
- Document last known location and date
- Record circumstances (escape, predation suspected, unknown)
- Mark animal "Disappeared"
- Maintains record for inventory accuracy
Exit Examples
Livestock Sale:
- Check withdrawal periods cleared (no active medications)
- Verify animal healthy and suitable for sale
- Record movement to buyer property (third-party location)
- Generate health certificate showing vaccination history, treatment records
- Export traceability chain for buyer (demonstrates lifetime care)
- Mark sold, record sale date and price
- Animal exits active inventory but record preserved
Zoo Animal Transfer:
- Prepare transfer documentation (pedigree, medical history, behavioural notes)
- Obtain CITES permits if required (endangered species)
- Generate comprehensive health certificate
- Record movement to receiving facility
- Provide complete medical and husbandry records
- Transfer creates traceability event
- Animal transferred but record maintained for studbook purposes
Wildlife Release:
- Final health assessment documented
- Weight and condition verified suitable for release
- GPS collar attached (if applicable)
- Release location recorded with coordinates
- Release conditions documented (weather, time, habitat quality)
- Mark released
- Post-release monitoring continues via GPS telemetry (observations recorded remotely)
Death on Farm:
- Record date and time of death
- Document cause (veterinarian diagnosis, natural death, euthanasia decision)
- Add post-mortem findings if necropsy performed
- Mark deceased
- Record preserved for biosecurity analysis (identify disease patterns)
Record Evolution Over Time
Understanding how animal records evolve helps you appreciate why consistent documentation matters.
Month 1 (Acquisition):
- Basic identification (name, species, sex)
- Acquisition details
- Initial health assessment
- First weight measurement
- Quarantine status (if required)
Month 6 (Active Management):
- 20+ observations accumulated
- 5 treatments documented (vaccinations, deworming)
- 12 movements recorded (paddock rotations)
- 6 weight measurements showing growth trend
- 3 tasks completed (routine health checks)
Year 2 (Established History):
- 150+ observations
- 30+ treatments
- 50+ movements
- 24 weight measurements
- Breeding records if applicable
- Clear patterns emerging (seasonal health trends, growth curves)
Year 5 (Comprehensive Lifetime Record):
- 500+ observations
- 100+ treatments
- 200+ movements
- 60 weight measurements
- Multiple offspring if breeding animal
- Complete medical history supporting evidence-based care
- Traceability chain proving lifetime provenance
At Exit:
- Complete record from acquisition through entire life
- Demonstrates responsible care
- Supports regulatory compliance
- Provides data for programme evaluation
- Preserved permanently for biosecurity and research
This evolution happens automatically as you perform daily workflows. Consistent documentation today creates valuable historical data tomorrow.
Lifecycle Variations Across Contexts
Dairy Farm - Production Animal:
- Acquisition: Born on facility
- Active Management: Daily milking, routine health checks, breeding cycles
- Medical Care: Preventive treatments, mastitis management
- Reproduction: Annual breeding, 5-7 calves over lifetime
- Exit: Culled after production declines, sold for beef
Zoo - Endangered Species:
- Acquisition: Conservation programme transfer
- Active Management: Enrichment, public education, health monitoring
- Medical Care: Preventive care, specialist veterinary oversight
- Reproduction: Carefully managed breeding following genetic recommendations
- Exit: Transfer to another zoo for breeding, or natural death in old age
Wildlife Reserve - Conservation:
- Acquisition: Wild-captured for population monitoring
- Active Management: GPS tracking, periodic observations, minimal intervention
- Medical Care: Treatment only if injured or diseased
- Reproduction: Natural breeding observed, not managed
- Exit: Natural death or release after monitoring period
Veterinary Clinic - Patient:
- Acquisition: Client brings pet for treatment
- Active Management: Clinical care during hospitalisation
- Medical Care: Intensive treatment, surgery, recovery monitoring
- Reproduction: Often neutering/spaying is part of care
- Exit: Discharged to owner after recovery
Commercial Livestock - Market Animal:
- Acquisition: Purchased as weaner
- Active Management: Feeding programme, weight monitoring
- Medical Care: Preventive only (vaccinations, deworming)
- Reproduction: None (market animals)
- Exit: Sale to abattoir at target weight, withdrawal periods verified
Each context has different lifecycle characteristics, but the same record-keeping principles apply.
Best Practices for Lifecycle Management
Document acquisition thoroughly: Rich acquisition details provide context for every subsequent record. Who bred this animal? Where did they come from? What genetic lines do they represent?
Maintain consistency: Regular observations, timely treatments, systematic movements. Consistency creates reliable historical data.
Link related records: When treating illness, reference the observation that prompted treatment. When recording birth, link offspring to parents.
Use smart badges: Quick access to quarantine status, breeding records, weight trends, and tasks keeps you informed without digging through histories.
Review histories before decisions: Breeding selection? Check reproductive history. Sale preparation? Verify withdrawal periods. Transfer planning? Review medical history.
Complete exit documentation: Proper exit records ensure inventory accuracy, regulatory compliance, and complete traceability chains.
Preserve records permanently: Even after animals exit, records remain valuable for biosecurity analysis, programme evaluation, and regulatory audits.